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Andrei Kirilenko has missed 17 games this season for the Brooklyn Nets, and as of now, he doesn't seem all that close to returning.
Before Thursday night's game against the Clippers, Kirilenko told Devin Kharpertian of The Brooklyn Game that he is at least "10 days" away from returning. Of course that isn't a concrete timetable, with Kirilenko then saying that he doesn't know if he'll play after 10 days, but they'll "reevaluate" the situation then.
Jason Kidd was no more optimistic about Kirilenko's return, saying before the game that he had "no update" on his injury and that he may return to action in 2013 or, hey, maybe in 2014. Who knows?
Kidd said in his pre-game press conference,"Hopefully sometime in 2013, would be great, but if he comes back in 2014 that would be fine, too."
There's plenty of hope that Kirilenko will return sometime, eventually. Possibly before the turn of the New Year, but no one seems to be betting the house on it. It would seem that similarly to what Deron Williams was saying about his own injury, with the Eastern Conference being as bad as it is and the top of the Atlantic Division well within reach, there's no real sense of urgency to rush anyone back until they are at or near 100 percent.
A healthy Kirilenko would mean much more to the Nets in late-March, early-April than he would here in December. Especially if they continue to build off their three-game winning streak.
- Kirilenko Is Key to a Nets Rebound - Alex Raskin - Wall Street Journal
- Jason Kidd on Andrei Kirilenko: 'There is no update' - Rod Boone - Newsday
- Andrei Kirilenko out at least ten more days - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
